Go West (1925)

Buster Keaton is often characterized as an unemotional filmmaker whose face lakes expression and whose films lack heart. I call bull on this. In recent years, Keaton's nickname "The Great Stone Face" has been challenged by critics and fans who appreciate his subtle and far from heartless performances. And the idea that his films have no emotional depth has been questioned as well. If any film could answer that question, then Go West (1925) would be it.GW is the story of a lonely young man who gets a job as a farm hand and befriends a cow after she saves him from a rampaging bull. Their relationship is sweet but never cloying, and Keaton makes sure to mock plot elements meant to evoke cheap pathos (ex. Keaton goes to pet a dog and he is literally such an outcast that even the mutt walks away from him).It's not a masterpiece, but it is a very sweet movie and one that is worth the hour plus running time.

While most of the things said above are true, don't let them stop you from enjoying this wonderful piece of film. If you love trains, or just Keaton's incomparable train gags, you'll be enthralled. If you really like Keaton, you'll appreciate the inside joke on his shtick (a rare indulgence on his part). If you think about the stampede scene while watching it, and consider how impossible it is to remake in this day and age, you'll appreciate it more. If you enjoy running gags, you'll find several strings through it. While I admit there are better Keaton efforts, and while I admit I'm very partial, I still say that if you appreciate Keaton at all you'll like this one, too.Let the comments above warn you that "The General" it isn't, realize that they can't all be five-star classics, and enjoy this really nice film! Not his best, but not bad at all. There's certainly no sense in waiting for his next one (unfortunately). Jackie Chan may still be at it, but all the Keaton we have is all we have--and thank goodness for that much!

"Go West" is an enjoyable change-of-pace from Keaton. It has a creative story that enables Buster to demonstrate some different acting skills, while still having plenty of his trademark slapstick, chases, and stunts, especially in the last half of the film. It's not one of his best-remembered films today, largely because it is rather old-fashioned and sometimes slow, but it has a great many merits for those who enjoy silent comedies.Buster's character is down on his luck, and decides to head west. He winds up on a ranch, working as a cowhand. As he tries rather ineffectively to learn the trade, he becomes attached to a particular cow, 'Brown Eyes'. While trying to protect Brown Eyes from harm, he is caught in the middle of the desperate attempts of the rancher and the rancher's daughter to save their business. Keaton is very good in evoking sympathy for his character while still being amusing, and the story is touching at times while remaining pleasantly silly at others. There are times when it does move pretty slowly, but it is always pleasant to watch.The film would be well worth seeing for the last portion alone. Everything comes together in a madcap stampede sequence that is extremely funny and that contains a lot of inventive gags. It's classic Keaton, and a great way to top off a rather different story.If you are a fan of Buster or of silent comedy in general, make sure to give this one a try. It's not the kind of film that could be expected to attract a wide audience today, but it's a pleasant and enjoyable film, and you might like it as much as those of us on this page have enjoyed it.

This really is a hidden gem. For those of you familiar with Buster's technical wizardry in films like "The General" and "Sherlock Jr.", this film will be a revelation. You will be able to witness an entirely different side of Buster Keaton, that of Keaton the actor. His wary calm in this film is perfectly matched to the story of an unlucky drifter who finds himself working on a dude ranch in California. This film features one of Buster's best performances, and a most unusual leading lady. A treat for everyone, but Keaton fans especially.